


Gabriella Ackerly: Origins

by Spirits_Among_Stars



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Amputation, Depression, Hospitals, I don't have additional tags at the moment, Insomnia, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Self Confidence Issues, There is a dog in the fic!, but in later chapters I'll add some because of themes, failure - Freeform, im not good at long chapters, sometimes i can be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-17
Updated: 2016-10-12
Packaged: 2018-08-09 08:56:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7795480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spirits_Among_Stars/pseuds/Spirits_Among_Stars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>S.H.I.E.L.D. discover a strange unknown object in Death Valley. Fury plans to harness the object's energy for weapons against threats to the Earth and enlists the help of one of the scientists within S.H.I.E.L.D. to study it to see whether it's possible. With disastrous results.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Short Nap and Long Ride

**Author's Note:**

> This is the origin (duh) story for my OC Doctor Gabriella Ackerly and was originally posted on Ff.net but is more updated with better grammar (hopefully) and a little more fleshed out (maybe, I think). The time frame for this fic is mid-June 2010 to September, the final chapter is about early 2011.
> 
> She's one of my faves and I hope you get to like her as much as I do. Let's go!

A rainy summer night loitered in the air as Doctor Gabriella Ackerly sat at her desk busying away at her computer. The doctor was reading up on the latest working of S.H.I.E.L.D. technology and what could be done to better them in the future. With her legs kicked up on the table, she sipped her tea, reading the wad of information on the computer screen. Whenever she had a pause in typing out ideas that would help S.H.I.E.L.D., she would drum her fingers on the table which had a really soothing effect. Gabriella glanced at the clock on the desk _23:34_ blared back at her. She sighed and rubbed her tired face. She's been up since dawn for almost two days helping out S.H.I.E.L.D. with a terrorist cell that had infiltrated the US congress in order to kill of most congressmen. Desperately needing some sleep, she finished reading the last paragraph with heavy, sore eyes and saved the computer document. She turned off the bright computer and yawned wide.

Leaving the empty mug of tea on the desk, she headed to her room, kicking off her shoes and taking off her jacket on the way. Her blue merle border collie Orion followed her to the bedroom at her feet. Ackerly shut the open curtains and turned out all the lights. Not bothering to take the rest of her clothes off, she flopped onto the bed and covered herself in the soft sheets, a welcome change from the seat. Orion joined her and jumped at the end of the bed. She yanked out her hair tie and tossed it onto the carpet somewhere. She told Orion goodnight, patted his head and listened to him get settled on the bed. Then she rolled onto her front and closed her stinging eyes. In the distance an owl hooted lulling Gabriella to sleep.

* * *

 A loud harsh ringing sound woke her up with a start. Orion slept through it. Noticing that it was still dark outside but the rain from yesterday was still there, patting against the windows, Ackerly groaned tiredly and rolled over to glance at the clock. She blinked at the blurry digital clock. _2:16_ stared back at her. She groaned once again, swore to herself and sat up, the sheets falling around her. The phone continued to ring with the annoying tone so she quickly, but sleepily, picked it up and answered the call. "Ye-" she didn't like the way that sounded. It was like she had a blocked throat so she cleared it. "Yeah?" She asked, rubbing her sore eyes and stifling a yawn.

"Sorry about the early morning call, doc," came Phil Coulson's soft voice, "but you need to come in."

Gabriella groaned and flopped back into the bed, "Phil, I've not even been back for 4 hours," she whined tiredly, "and I've not had a wink of sleep since I got back because I've had to look at those damned analyses. Gimme a couple more hours," she yawned and dragged her free hand down her face.

"Sorry, doc, this is urgent. Besides, you can sleep on the jet. It should be there in half an hour," Coulson replied. "And again, I'm really sorry about the morning call."

"It's alright," she dismissed, "I'll see you later." Ackerly hung up the phone and pushed herself up. Forcing herself to crawl out of bed, she made it; fluffing the pillows and tucking in the corners. Orion made himself comfy in the middle of the bed and stretched out his paws, taking up most of the bed. Ackerly had given up on asking S.H.I.E.L.D. what they wanted because they never gave her a straight answer over the phone, even when it's a secure channel. Now she had half an hour before her transport came so she took a soothing shower, ridding her of some aches and pains and got dressed. She brushed the knots from her messy brown hair, tied on her scuffed boots and pulled on her jacket by the time the jet arrived.

The jet made a lot of noise when it landed in her front yard. The wind currents it created kicked up dirt, stones, and grass and flower petals all over the place. Ackerly and Orion rushed to the front door and she opened in time to see the ramp lower and the pilot emerge. It was Clint Barton. "Good really early morning, Clint," she greeted, grabbing her go-bag that was always next to the front door. She moved out of the house and locked it before heading towards the Quinjet. Orion barked happily when he saw Clint.

Clint met them with a warm smile and rubbed the collie on the head. "Out again, doc?" Clint asked with a cheeky smile. "You need a holiday."

"Tell me something I don't know," she grumbled. "I need a long, long holiday."

"I honestly have no idea how you're still standing," he commented, scratching the dog's ear.

Ackerly rubbed her eyes, "I don't either. C'mon, Orion." The three of them walked into the jet and Clint closed the ramp. Ackerly told Orion to sit beside her as she sat down in one of the side seats and strapped herself in.

Clint settled into the pilot seat and started up the noisy Quinjet. She made a mental note to dry and fix that. "This is Agent Barton. S.H.I.E.L.D., I have Doctor Ackerly, we'll see you in a couple hours."

"A couple hours? How fast are we flying?"

Clint chuckled, "Fast enough." Ackerly chuckled quietly and rolled her eyes.

The jet kicked up dirt and stones as it lifted off the ground; Clint kicked it into gear and it shot off into the sky. The white clouds whooshed passed them. Ackerly felt her eyes get sore. "Clint," she asked after a couple minutes of silence.

"Yeah?"

"D'you mind if I sleep on the journey?"

"Not at all, Gabriella, go ahead." Clint said, she could hear the smile in his voice. "You need the sleep."

"Yeah. I do." Ackerly agreed. The doctor shifted herself so she was able to lie down on the bench; she adjusted her belts and found a soft enough position on the seat; it really wasn't soft. The clouds zoomed passed and she very quickly drifted off to sleep.


	2. The Helicarrier

Something wet, Orion's tongue, licked at her dangling hand and Clint shoved her shoulder. "Hey doc, we're here," he said a bit too loud for her taste.

Ackerly groaned and blinked up at Barton, mumbling. "Ok." She unbuckled herself from her seat and stood onto shaky legs. Stifling a yawn, she rubbed her eyes. "Smooth ride," she commented, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"We had some turbulence a few hours in but you slept like a log," Clint said with a cheeky grin. Ackerly rolled her eyes at him with a small smile. "Orion sat up front with me for a bit during it but he was fine in the end."

"That's good," she said, bending down and fussing Orion's head. "You were good up there I hear?" Orion wagged his tail faster and looked as if he was nodding his head. "You're a very good dog, Orion. I'll give you a treat once we've settled in." Orion barked happily and nuzzled her chest. She chuckled.

"You're home, doc," Clint joked. "C'mon." He opened the ramp of the jet and the three of them strolled out onto the landing strip. Orion followed at Ackerly's heels as they stepped onto the Helicarrier. They were up high in the air but not high enough that they were lacking in oxygen. It was nice, being up this high, the breeze tickled through her hair. She wasn't the biggest fan of heights but at least if she fell, she'd fall into the water below and not cold hard ground.

An agent in a black suit and tie hurried towards them with purpose, her chestnut hair swinging side to side behind her back. It was her best friend of 4 and a half years, Teagan Meyer, she graduated from the academy only a year ago so was still pretty new to field work. Once she reached them, she smiled at her and Orion. "Hey, Gabe, welcome back. You too Orion." The dog's ears perked up when he heard this name. "I'm sorry you're back so soon."

"It's fine. I should be used to it by now," she said. 

The two women quickly hugged and Teagan turned to Clint. "Natasha wants to see you," Clint nodded but didn't move. "Now!" she added.

"Oh! Right," Clint exclaimed. He said goodbye to the doctor, agent and Orion and hurried into the main section of the Helicarrier.

As they walked towards the entrance leading into the Helicarrier, Ackerly asked, "So what are you having me do?

"Well first things first is, you and Orion are gonna settle into your quarters and then Nick's gonna talk to you at 1000 hours, so it'll give you time for some extra rest," Teagan said as they walked into the Helicarrier. "Nick wanted to see you ASAP but I told him that you can't work on, like, three hours sleep or however long you slept."

The doctor smiled, stifling another yawn, "Thanks."

"You're welcome, and don't worry, Orion will be looked after as usual." They passed quite a few agents who wanted to pet Orion and offer to look after him while she was busy and a few others who wanted to speak with her about suggestions for new S.H.I.E.L.D. tech.

"D'you know why Nick wants me?" She asked as they descended a flight of stairs. "Coulson didn't tell me anything."

Teagan laughed and nodded, "Of course I do. I think you'll enjoy it, but, as usual, I can't say anything until you've spoken with Director Fury." She sighed but understood why she had to be kept in the dark. Rules; she never liked them much but they were always there for a reason. To protect people mostly. Especially in S.H.I.E.L.D. anyway.

Ackerly, Teagan and Orion walked down the corridor and turned left at the end. They reached Ackerly's room and she swiped her ID at the device on the door to open it. The room was in the same state she left it. The bed was made to a military standard and the floor was free of any clutter. The handful of family photos she had where still on the shelves and desk. Ackerly and Orion stepped in while Teagan stood in the doorway. Orion immediately jumped onto the bed and stretched, taking up the length of the bed.

"I'll see you in a couple hours, doc," Teagan uttered.

"Alright, see you in a bit," she half smiled and Teagan left with the door closing automatically behind her. Gabriella groaned tiredly and tossed her bag onto the floor beside the bed. Collapsing body first onto the soft mattress, Orion jumped out of her way before settling himself back down. She kicked off her boots and yanked off her jacket, tossing it to the floor. She pulled the covers out from under her and slipped into bed, falling asleep to the quiet hum of the Helicarrier.

* * *

Just as Teagan had said, a couple hours passed and it was now 0955 hours. Teagan knocked loudly on her door, jolting her from her peaceful sleep. "Wake up, Gabe. You've got five minutes until Director Fury wants to see you."

"Five minutes..." she muttered tiredly. Her eyes snapped open, "Five minutes! Crap!" She threw the bed sheets off herself covering the shocked border collie and jumped out of bed; she had planned to take a shower before meeting with Nick but quickly decided to just throw on her boots and not bother with her jacket but intead wear her white lab coat. When she left her room, Teagan was leaning against the wall, waiting for her to finish.

"About time," Teagan said with a cheeky grin.

The doctor swatted her friend playfully, "Shut up." Orion was to stay in her room but be fed by Teagan when the time came. He was allowed to leave but only under the supervision of the agents she trusted enough to look after him, and he used a litter tray to go to the toilet on. The two women hurried down the corridors and up elevators to get to Fury's office. "How was your nap?" Teagan asked as they walked along a busy corridor near the Director's office.

"It was good... Then you woke me up."

She chuckled, "Well, I was going to let you wake up yourself and find your own way there but time ticked by and you hadn't left so I decided wake you up myself."

"Should've let me sleep."

Teagan laughed again. "Fury would've liked it."

"When he's gone without sleep for two days and tried to fall asleep only to be woken up a bit later, tell him to wake me up himself," she mumbled in reply.

The two continued down the corridor until they reached Fury's office. "This is the end of the line for me," the younger one said. "I'll see you when you're done." Teagan left and the doctor knocked on the door.

"Come in," Fury called.


	3. Death Valley's Alien Object

The door opened and the doctor stepped in with it closing behind her. Fury stood behind his desk and he gestured for her to sit. Where on Earth was Phil? She hasn't seen him at all since she landed. Perhaps he was off somewhere else? "Good morning, doctor," he said as she sat.

"Morning, Nick. Where's Phil?"

"Busy."

_Of course he was_. "Oh... Well, I was just wondering because he _was_ the one who called me in."

Fury didn't give her a reason but continued on with the reason why she was here. "I understand you're wondering why I haven't allowed any information about this matter to be told to. That's because this is top secret and only a few can know." Fury pressed a button on his desk and it must have signaled another room because Natasha Romanoff and Clint walked in from a side door and stood either side of the doctor. 

"It's nice to see that Teagan woke you up," Clint commented with a cheeky smile.

Natasha rolled her eyes, "How are you doing, doc?"

"I'm good, how abou-?"

The room darkened and Nick cleared his throat, pulling up a blank monitor. "Earlier today an alien object of unknown origin crash landed in Death Valley, and I sent Barton and Romanoff to investigate." Pictures of the object appeared on the screen. The artefact looked like a large egg, mostly blue in colour with hints of red swirls within, and it glowed furiously. It had left a huge crater in the ground where it landed, at least a mile and a half in diameter. "It emits large amounts of energy and is currently in a secure location on the carrier." Fury then showed varieties of schematics on the screen. "I want you to try and harness its power to create weapons we can use against threats to the Earth."

Gabriella had nodded along to the whole thing. "Interesting. And I'm the only one who can deal with this?"

Fury nodded his head, "You are the highest ranking scientist here who knows enough about energy to do this. I want this kept between us, Agents Meyer, Coulson and Hill." Ackerly, Natasha and Clint nodded. "They'll take you to the holding location and you can get to work. Everything you need is already there," Nick said. "Dismissed."

The three of them promptly left the office and Gabriella followed Natasha and Clint. "So how unstable is it?"

"Very," Natasha said. "We had to carry it onto the ship in a stable container that didn't move at all. One wrong move and the whole place would've exploded."

"I'm gonna be stuck in a room with that thing. Brilliant," she said with fake enthusiasm.

Clint chuckled a little, "You'll have your work cut out. It's so powerful. Initial readings says it produces energy like the sun but we're not sure how much. It's the size of a soccer ball, no wonder it's alien."

"Size of a football and its produces energy like the sun; man, I really do have my work cut out," Gabriella ran a hand through her hair, "And Fury wants this concentrated to be used in weapons. I should've got more sleep."

Clint nodded agreeing with the Doctor, "Yeah 'cause you're not going to get much anymore." Ackerly sighed, _wonderful_.

Natasha and Clint lead Ackerly into the depths of the Helicarrier away from the other agents, sensitive equipment, and the engines. Two guards stood outside the room wearing heavy protective armour in case someone got curious and decided to take a look and the thing lost it. The doctor peered in through the thick glass window at egg sitting in the middle of the room on top of a pedestal. A large secure case surrounded it with thick locks securing down to the pedestal. Gabriella puffed out her cheeks. "That's some heavy duty stuff," shesaid mainly to herself. She stepped back from the window and turned to Natasha and Clint, "Everything I need is in there?" The two nodded in response, "And what if there's a breach? What's the protocol?"

"First the security field will kick in locking the artefact away even more than it already is," Romanoff said, "then the room will seal itself to contain the blast if it does go off. If that fails then this whole section will detach and be left for the thing to explode and take the section with it."

"What about the people?"

"The only people in this section will be you and the guards once Nat and I leave," the bowman added. "It'll be your job to get the hell out of here before all that happens."

Gabriella nodded at the final piece of information and sighed deeply. She'll have to work hard to make sure the place doesn't blow. The weight of everyone's lives on board pushed down heavily on her shoulders. She was responsible for whatever happens next and the lives lost should something happen. Failure wasn't an option. She had to keep everyone safe and make sure _nothing_ happens. "Is there anything else I need to know before I start working?"

They shook their heads. "No, that's everything," Clint said.

The doctor grasped her hands together and breathed deeply, "Time get to work."

Clint slapped Ackerly around the shoulder, "Good luck, doc. And have fun."

She chuckled, "Thanks."

"Just call if you need anything," Natasha said. The doctor nodded and watched the two agents walk away.

Gabriella turned to the guards at the door and nodded her head at them to let her in. The taller one of the two gave her a card that would allow her to enter and leave the lab as she pleased. Swiping the card on the device by the door, the heavy door whooshed open and she stepped into the warm room before it closed behind her. She gazed around at all the different equipment she had access to, a few computers- with no doubt loads of memory- spectrophotometers, state of the art thermometers, data loggers, probes, ammeters, mulimeter and much more. The doctor rolled her shoulders, smile and rubbed her hands together. Time to get to work.


	4. It Was a Quiet Five Days...

The next couple of days consisted of tests on the unknown _definitely_ alien object. Gabriella found out that it sure as hell emits energy like the sun; an early main sequence sun to be precise. It didn't take a long to discover that it housed its own energy source deep within itself, not even S.H.I.E.L.D's most high-tech microscopes could delve into a deepest molecules of the object. Things that she could only describe as wiry pipes crackled off into a buzzing ball, only slightly bigger than the main flickering ball in the center. Several days later, the doctor was called to Fury's office to tell him her findings. While she talked and showed him diagrams and data, Fury nodded along. "Are you able to harness the energy?" Fury asked after she finished.

The doctor nodded slightly. "Yes and no. Like I said I've been able to see inside the O.R.B.S-"

"Wait? O.R.B.S?" Fury asked.

"Yeah, we can't keep calling it an 0-8-4, can we? It stands for Object Regarding Bizarre Sparking, and what can I say? I'm not that creative," she replied with a smile. "Anyway, I've been able to see inside it, most of it, and get a good look at its organs. It's all incredibly intricate with tiny shiny orbs, everything has its place. Extracting even small amounts of energy from anywhere is going to be difficult but from from this point here," she pointed to an array of tiny pipes leading to a ball in the center, "it'll be a _little_ easier but still be very tricky even with a steady hand. The inner protective casing is hard to get too, as I said it took me two solid days to actually get a look _inside_ of it. I need more time."

Nick nodded, "And you'll have it." The Director stood up and moved towards a computer. He brought up the weapons designs after pressing a few buttons on the nearby console, "So you think it's compatible with our designs."

"Yep, I think so," Ackerly said with a nod. "I can make the weapons but getting the energy is gonna be the hard part... but I think I can do it."

Fury nodded and rubbed his chin with a thoughtful hmm. "Good, good," he said. "You've done a lot of great work there, doc. Have-"

The whole Helicarrier jerked violently. Nick and Gabriella stumbled off their feet and tumbled into Fury's desk with loud thumps and pained groans. The door to Fury's office flung open with Teagan Meyer clinging onto the door frame for dear life. "Nick-!"

"What the hell is goin' on out there?!" The Director interrupted urgently.

"I was getting to that!" she snapped before realising what she said. "We've been attacked by someone with a jet!" The Helicarrier shook violently as it was hit again; Teagan almost lost her footing, "Romanoff and Barton are engaging whoever's attacking us! There's a lot of them! They came out of nowhere!"

Fury tried to stand up straight, "Meyer, doctor, they may be after O.R.B.S. Get to it and protect it!"

"Yes, sir!" The two chorused.

Gabriella hastily stumbled to her feet and sprinted out of the room with Teagan hot on her heels. "Do you have any idea what's going on?" she asked her friend as they hurried down the busy corridors. She hoped Orion was alright wherever he was.

"I was in the control room when it happened. Clint and Nat kicked onto action; they sent me to tell Fury," Teagan said. "We just jolted, we couldn't see anything!" Once more the Helicarrier lurched harshly and they slammed into the floor at speed. The two agents pushed themselves up and continued sprinting to the lab. "Gabe, hit the ground!" Gabriella didn't hesitate and instantly hit the ground, a shot splitting the air. She looked over her shoulder at Teagan, who gestured to the dead body lying on the floor inches from her own face.

The doctor pushed to her feet, kneeled in front of the body and examined him. "Where'd he come from?"

Meyer pointed to the air vents above them with a thump. One of the grates was ajar. "From there. He was going to dangle head first, but I got him before he could get us."

She nodded impressed at her friend. "Remind me to talk to Nick about the air vents. Need to make them smaller so people can't climb through them," she said mainly to herself. Teagan nodded. "Nice shot by the way," she commented as she stood up onto her feet.

"Thank you."

"Let's go."

The two women hastened down the corridors and jumped down stairs to get to the lab quicker. Gunshots cracked in the distance so they pulled out their own guns. Skidding around the corner, the pair were immediately fired upon by enemy forces, popping a few shots before ducking behind cover. They needed a plan. Men and women shouted at each other. They shot their guns, only hesitating to reload. The friends had their backs pressed against the cover, reloading their weapons between volleys. A bullet hit the wall in front of them. "I'll go around back and flank them, we know the 'carrier better than them," Gabriella suggested as a bullet ricocheted behind her, causing her to flinch.

"No, I'll cover you. Get into the lab as fast as you can," Teagan stated. "We need to protect O.R.B.S."

Gabriela sighed but nodded regardless, "Ok, but are you wearing-?"

"A bullet-proof vest? Yup," she revealed the vest under her shirt before unbuttoning and taking off her suit jacket for more maneuverability. "Ready?"

"Ready." Counting to three, on the last nod of her head, they charged through the throng of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and enemies in olive coloured masks and blue jumpsuits? They shot and kicked their way though the noise.

The lab that contained O.R.B.S was another floor down in the section they were in. The two emerged from the mass with cuts and bruises, Teagan ordering the surviving S.H.E.I.L.D agents to fan out and take down the enemy. The survivors hurried away at haste. The doctor and the agent darted down the corridors trying to miss the conflict heading their way. They reached a tight corridor and two enemy men were blocking the flight of stairs they needed to descend get to the lab. The men in front of them stared the friends down.

The scene was like something from a western. Two pairs of gun welding opponents standing off against one another with their hands inches away from their weapons. One second could be the difference between life and death. The determined eyes of men stared down the equally determined women as their fingers hovered over the triggers.

_BANG_

Four shots fired. Two dead. One injured.


	5. Fulmination

Teagan rushed to Gabriella's aid. The doctor lay on the floor, pressing firmly on the bullet wound to the right side of her chest. "Are you alright?!" Teagan exclaimed quickly, pressing onto the wound with her own hand.

"Yeah," Gabriella replied, wincing slightly, blood sticking to her fingers, "we need to get to the lab. Now."

"But you're in no state to move!" her friend stated. "Let me fix your wound first.

"Teapot, we need to... get to O.R.B.S. Quickly make a dressing, we've gotta go!" she ordered, flinching as Teagan removed her hand, who reluctantly nodded. She slowly removed the doctor's jacket and ripped an arm off before folding the material a few times and putting it on the wound. She pressed against the wound and used the rest of the jacket to hold the dressing in place by tying it tightly around Gabriella's chest. Teagan slowly helped her friend to sit up a bit more straight then onto her feet. Ackerly groaned loudly in pain.

"We really shouldn't be doing this," Teagan whined.

"I know," Ackerly replied, wincing again, "but we have to." Teagan put an arm around Gabriella and they hurried as fast as they could down the final few corridors. The doctor had a gun and shot the enemies that blindingly ran around the corner with Teagan making sure that her friend didn't fall or pass out on their way. Turning the final corner with the lab at the end caused both women to stop in their tracks.

A long trail of S.H.E.I.L.D agents lay dead on the ground leading to the lab's door. The two guards that were guarding the laboratory were slumped against the wall either side of the door with bullet wounds peppering their bodies. The two agents could see movement inside and Gabriella felt her heart leap. They carefully and quickly waded through the bodies until they reached the door.

They charged in.

A tall, lanky figure stood in front of the podium that O.R.B.S sat upon. Not wanting to waste the element of surprise they had, Ackerly shot the person. They dropped to the floor instantly, dead. O.R.B.S balanced precariously on the edge of the stand. Bright light emitted from a tiny crack in the shell. Gabriella's eyes widened. She shoved Teagan outside the lab and slammed her hand on the button that locked the room in case of an emergency.

With an incredibly pissed off expression, Teagan pressed the button on the wall that would allow them to communicate through the thick defenses. "What the hell?!" she shouted through the glass. "Gabe!"

"The shell of O.R.B.S has been compromised!" Gabriella shouted back, grasping her painful side. "It's cracked." Light from the shell intensified.

"What? _Shit!_ Oh God! W-what are you gonna do?"

Darting over to the control panel, she shouted rushed, "I gotta see if the containment field is still working." Punched in the code for the containment field, it should've activated right away. It didn't. "No, no, no, no, _no_!" She put in the sequence again. It failed again. " _Damn it_!" Her hands flew over the panel, trying to figure out what was wrong. "Damn it, it's been sabotaged!"

"Not good!" Meyer exclaimed, running a bloodied hand through her hair. She paced a little then stopped, "Well-well, what do you want me to do?"

"Get everyone alive out of here!" the Gabriella yelled, waving her hands wildly. The lab filled with a brilliant blue light and it came very close to stinging her eyes. "If the containment field isn't working then the only thing that stands between it and everyone else is _me! I_ f I can't stop it, everyone needs to get out of here or they're dead!"

"But, Gabe! Don't be a goddamn martyr!" Teagan protested. Gabriella desperately rushed about, trying to think of a way to stop O.R.B.S from breaching and exploding or to reinforce the laboratory to contain the blast.

"Damn it, Teagan, this isn't up for discussion!" she shouted, harshly. "Do it!"

Teagan sighed and grudgingly nodded. "Okay," she ran another hand though her hair, "Okay, okay, I'll do it." She met her friend's gaze, finding her fighting back the tears. "Ok, I'll get everyone out." She stepped away to leave.

"Wait! Teagan!" Ackerly shouted; this could be the last chance she ever gets to see her best friend again, both of them. The light intensified. Teagan nodded, wearing a soft expression, "Take care of Orion."

She nodded with a small smile. "Always. You better come back" and with that she sprinted away faster than she ever thought possible.

Gabriella turned back to her work with a deep shaky breath; blood seeping through the makeshift dressing into her clothes. She pushed through the pain and moved towards O.R.B.S. Something grabbed her leg and yanked her to the ground. She landed hard and all the air left her body. Her eyes widened. The person who stood by O.R.B.S _survived_ the _gunshot_ to the _head_. " _What_?!" she yelled. The woman smirked crazily at the doctor and kicked her in the side. She screamed in pain and reeled violently, clutching her side. "You have no idea what you're messing with!" Gabriella shouted through tears, "The shell is cracked! It's gonna-"

The woman put a finger to her lips and hushed Gabriella. The woman turned back to O.R.B.S, which was now whining loudly. Glancing around for something to use, Gabriella spotted her gun not far from her. But the woman was closer than the gun. She needed to make a decision. She flinched as the high-pitched wail increased in intensity.

Gabriella held onto her haemorrhaging side and kicked her legs out at the woman, knocking her off her feet. The woman reacted. Jumping onto her shins, she connected her foot with Gabriella's chest, winding her and forcing her backwards. The doctor locked a leg around one of the woman's and pushed, sending her face slamming into the floor. Gabriella painfully rolled to her right and grabbed the gun. The woman stood up wearing  _that_ crazy smirk. Gabriella shot the woman between the eyes and she collapsed in a heap on the floor.

Flopping to the floor, breathing heavily, Gabriella stared at the woman. Hopefully she was dead. She  _shouldn't_ have survived that! A  _gunshot_ to the  _head_! She swallowed and wiped her forehead, smudging blood across it.Gabriella wouldn't hear herself think, the piercing whining reverberating deep within her bones and ears; not even holding her ears could block it out. The doctor stared at O.R.B.S. The entire casing of the outer shell had shattered onto the ground beneath the podium, exposing its insides. Bright, intense, blinding blue light filled the room. Lanky veins branched from O.R.B.S, stretching towards hers, like it was fingers moving towards her, beckoning her to come closer. Her heart pounded against her chest as she painfully crawled back, her arms shaking under her, stomach filling with butterflies. She bumped into the wall, wishing she could crawl further back. Slumping against it, she inhaled sharply and looked down at her side. Blood dripped down her body, seeping into every part of her of her clothing, turning it red. Every inch of her hurt; eyes, ears, bones, everything. Her sight blurred and focused causing her head to swim in dizzy circles. Light exploded from O.R.B.S, blinding Ackerly. Tears streaming down her face, she screamed, never has she seen such a thing. _I'm going to die. This is my end._

O.R.B.S fulminated, shattering everywhere. The equipment disintegrated and the laboratory erupted into pieces.

 


	6. Waking Up

The continuous ticking of the clock, and the bleeping machinery surrounded the stiff hospital bed. Drip bags hung from cold, steel rods attached to the unconscious body on the bed by webs of IV lines, feeding tubes and catheters. Save from the symphony of machinery, the white room was quiet and smelt like cleaning fluids and wet dog. Orion.

_"Wait! Teagan!" Ackerly shouted; this could be the last chance she ever gets to see her best friend again, both of them. The light intensified. Teagan nodded, wearing a soft expression, "Take care of Orion."_

_She nodded with a small smile. "Always. You better come back" and with that she sprinted away faster than she ever thought possible._

The ECG beeped in a steady rhythm and the no longer used ventilator sat quietly to the side. Analgesics and antibacterial drugs pumped through her blood stream. The bright, white, thin lights blared on the equally bright painted ceiling; it burned into her sensitive eye lids. _O.R.B.S fulminated, shattering everywhere. The equipment disintegrated and the laboratory erupted into pieces._ Sterilised bandages wrapped around the body on the bed. The stickiness and smell of blood was long gone, and the blood lost was soon replaced. A group of people chattered in the busy hallway, standing out of the way of the occupied doctors and nurses who tended to their patients. A patient shouted not too far down the corridor and another loudly replied. The room was a mass of blurred shapes and neutral colours. A large blob of variations of blue and white stuck out among the dull, and a soft snoring sound came from it. Alas that was not the oddest thing in the room.

Something felt off.

The fog lifted from her groggy brown eyes and she stared down at her body. Around her torso she felt clean bandages wrapped around it but something further down concerned her. She lifted her aching head to get a better look of her situation. Horror flooded through her body. She paled, breathing hitched. Gabriella yelled. Her words trapped in her throat; no matter how hard she tried she just couldn't speak. She shrieked. Ringing whined in her ears, her heart palpitated, and she trembled uncontrollably. Her stomach churned, and a tingling sensation filled her fingers. Gabriella shrieked louder and longer this time. Orion started barking.  
  
Doctors rushed into the room, barking orders at each other. Clint, Natasha and Teagan rushed to the door but were stopped by a nurse, preventing them from going any further. "My leg!" Gabriella screamed, staring at the agents by the doorway and fighting off the doctors, " _My leg_!" Everything was gone! Toes, foot, knee! What was it?! A doctor injected her with enough drugs to calm her down but not enough to sedate her. The panic subsided and she flopped back on the bed muttering quietly with sweat beads dripping down her temples. What was the point? She had no leg, she was useless.  
  
The three agents looked at each other with concerned expressions and they stepped away from the door as the doctors and nurses finished with Gabriella and returned to their other patients. "At least she's now awake," Clint said, attempting to lighten the mood.  
  
"Yeah, but she's got one and a half legs," Teagan uttered.  
  
"Well, she's not dead; it was the only way we were gonna get her out," judging my his tone of voice, he's told her that many a time. "It was either lose her leg or lose her."  
  
"I know," Teagan replied with a sigh. "I guess her reaction put me off..." She straightened her shirt, "I'm gonna let Fury know that she's awake." The pair nodded and Teagan walked away, her foot falls heavy.  
  
Natasha looked back into the room, "Does Phil have her prosthetic?"  
  
Clint nodded, "Yeah. I'm surprised it didn't take longer to convince Stark to make a leg for her." He glanced back to the hospital room and sighed, watching the monitors around her bed make their noises and do their job.

"He's intrigued by her as much as everyone else is, she should have died back on the Helicarrier."  
  
"She didn't though, did she."  
  
Natasha shook her head, "No she didn't." She looked at Clint curiously, "Did you ever find O.R.B.S?"  
  
Clint shook his head and sighed, "We looked everywhere. It's completely vanished."  
  
_Shrapnel fell around her, crushing her under it. She couldn't breathe. Her chest was restricted. The organs of O.R.B.S sprawled out around the lab. They slowly merged together to become one. The new ball of energy slithered towards the half dead Ackerly and merged itself around her legs. It crawled around her lower half before wriggling up the rest of her body and engulfing her in blue light. The light faded and joined with her._  
  
Coulson and Fury strode down the hall towards Gabriella's hospital room with Teagan in tow. Natasha and Clint watched as they approached. "How awake is she?" Fury enquired.  
  
"The sedatives are wearing off. She's still coming to terms with the loss of her leg," Natasha said. "Visitors are one at a time."  
  
"If you don't mind I would like to go in first," Coulson told him. "She needs to see a friendly face, plus I've got her leg from Stark."  
  
Nick nodded and said, "Don't take too long, I would like to talk with her." Phil gave Nick an understanding nod and walked into the hospital room.  
  
Gabriella watched him with sad, useless, red eyes as he entered and pulled the door ajar behind him. He looked like he did when she last saw him, suit and all. Why was he even bothering with her? She was no help to anyone laying here doing, screw all. She blinked slowly at him. "Hello, Phil."  
  
"Hey, Gabriella," Phil said with a warm smile; it didn't warm her. He patted Orion on the head, the dog laid at the end of the bed.  
  
"What have you got there?" she asked, speaking slower than usual.  
  
"Your new leg courtesy of Tony Stark himself," Coulson replied with another smile. “It’s a one of a kind.”  
  
Ackerly didn't reply with a smile she usually would. "Oh," she said simply.  
  
"I'll leave it here," Coulson placed the prosthetic on the quilted armchair beside the bed.  
  
"How long have I been out?"  
  
"You’ve been in a coma for about 2 mouths," he told her and her eyes widened. "You didn't miss much though;  Fury approached Stark about the Avengers Initiative but he declined. So yeah, not much."  
  
"Must have been a boring couple of months," she said with a blank expression.  
  
"It kinda was.” Phil said. "But I'm sure you can make it much better once you're up and about." A shadow moved by the door and it was Nick knocking on the it and gesturing for Coulson to leave. "Looks like I've got to go," he patted the bed. "You'll be just fine." Gabriella nodded at him and watched him leave the room.  
  
Nick then entered in Phil's place. "How are you doing, doctor?" he asked.  
  
"What do you think? I've just woken up and found out I lost my damn leg. What do you think I'm feeling like?" she replied. "It sounds like I've missed a boring couple of months."  
  
Fury nodded, "Yeah, you did. We couldn't find O.R.B.S."  
  
"Oh," she said indifferently. "Shame."  
  
"You don't sound too bothered by the news."  
  
"How the hell did they know where it was, Nick? _Hmm?!_ How do they know?" she sat forward, speaking bitterly; Fury was steadfast, "How?! Only you, the guards- to an extent- Phil, Natasha and Clint, Hill, Teagan and I knew what was in there. _How?!_ "  
  
"Gabriella, calm down. I don't-"  
  
" _Don't_ tell me to calm down!" she yelled, absolutely fuming. "Answer the question! How did they know!?"  
  
"Gabri-" Nick started, again he was interrupted by the angry doctor.  
  
"They cost me my _leg_ because they wanted O.R.B.S! The woman cracked the shell causing all this to _happen_!" Screaming, she waved her hands about as she shouted, " _How_ , Nick?! _How_?!" Shrieking the last word, Gabriella threw her hands aggressively out to the side. Her veins sparked blue and her eyes flashed the same colour. A ball of blue energy shot out both palms striking the walls either side of her bed. Both Nick and Gabriella stared at her and her hands in silence. All anger faded from the room and was replaced by alarm, confusion and disbelief.


	7. Why Me?

Not much scared the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. but that made him jump back a few steps, wide eyed at the equally shocked doctor, who looked at her arms and back at her hands. "What... was that?" she breathed. Her intrigue piqued considerably, she studied her hands.  
  
The hospital room door opened and in came Natasha, Clint, Phil and Teagan. "I think..." Clint said slowly. Gabriella looked to him for answers because she had none, "that somehow you absorbed the energy from O.R.B.S."  
  
The doctor blinked at him, "It... it seems plausible, I guess."  
  
"Try and do it again," Natasha suggested.  
  
"Oh no, no, no, no!" Gabriella exclaimed frantically, keeping her hands still. "I'm not doing it again. I don't even know how I did it the first time!"  
  
"You were angry with me," Fury uttered stepping forward.  
  
"Yeah, and you still haven't answered my question," she said, still sounding slightly bitter.  
  
She watched Fury hold back a frustrated sigh, "They worked for H.Y.D.R.A. Don't worry, we sorted it out." Gabriella narrowed her eyes at him; something nagged her, was he lying? "Could you at least try to do it?"  
  
"I told you, I don't know how I did it and I'm not doing it!" she snapped. Her eyes glowed slightly and everyone flinched. "Sorry... I'm sorry."  
  
Teagan approached the bed and patted her friend's hand; she watched her closely. "Hey, Gabe, it's okay. You don't need to be sorry. This is a very weird situation and I don't blame you are acting the way you are." The contact made her feel a little better but not considerably. As great as Teagan was, she couldn't bring her leg back or get this thing out of her. Orion, who had watched everything from the end of the bed with pricked ears and alert eyes, nudged his owner's right foot that was under the bed covers and whined quietly. Gabriella looked down at him and smiled ever so slightly.  
  
Someone knocked on the door loudly and everyone turned to see who it was. It was one of her doctors, who didn't look at all happy. "Excuse me," he said politely. "Doctor Ackerly only has one visitor at a time!"  
  
"We'll be right out," Natasha told him. He gave her a stern look before leaving.   
  
Gabriella nodded agreeing and sighed heavily, "J-just go. I need to think. I need to be alone."  
  
"Ok," Phil said, "let's go everyone." They said their goodbyes, Teagan taking a little longer than needed before filing out of the room behind everyone, closing the door behind her.  
  
Fury looked at them all, "I'm gonna get the doctors to run some more tests on her. I need to know what's going on. Romanoff, Barton, go back to the lab and see if your idea is plausible, search the data Ackerly got from O.R.B.S." The two agents nodded.  
  
"I'm going to stay here," Phil said. "Just in case something happens."  
  
"I'll stay here too," Teagan spoke in a voice that suggested that she wasn't going anywhere. Fury nodded in understanding at the two and he, Barton and Romanoff headed to where they needed to go.

Gabriella stared up at the dull ceiling in her hospital room. _My leg. Why did this happen to me? Why did O.R.B.S do what it did? Clint's right, it did absorb into me. I don't know how, but I know, she thought. I guess I wasn't going crazy when I saw it freaking out, sparking the same way I-I did... But why did it do it at all? I should be dead, I shouldn't be here. Did I do something to make it... merge with me? Could I have stopped it?_ She sighed. _I've got to stop snapping at everyone. It's not helping. I really don't know if I can do it again and I don't want to._ Gabriella sighed again. _I need some sleep. I need to think._  
  
The doctor settled into bed and tried to get as comfy as she could, she never liked sleeping on her back, glancing at the clock 6:30pm ticked away. She closed her eyes. She could hear Phil and Teagan chatting to each other outside; a bird chirped in the distance and the smell sickly hospital coffee lingered in the air. _I think Teagan needs to cut down on the coffee._ Orion snored loudly at the end of the bed. For some reason she could the see sparking energy running through hospital machinery around her. She shuddered a little, it felt weird and she could swear her prosthetic in the chair was staring at her. A prosthetic. She'd have to learn how to walk again, no doubt about that. _I wonder how Orion coped without me. Something tells me he never left. I may have lost my leg but... but I have my life. I have my life. That-that's something._  
  
Gabriella opened her stinging eyes and glanced to the clock above the door. 6:35pm. _God damn it!  It's only been five minutes! I'll try again._   
  
She closed her eyes again.  
  
 _Darting over to the control panel, she shouted rushed, "I gotta see if the containment field is still working." Punched in the code for the containment field, it should've activated right away. It didn't. "No, no, no, no, no!" She put in the sequence again. It failed again. "Damn it!" Her hands flew over the panel, trying to figure out what was wrong. "Damn it, it's been sabotaged!"_  
  
 _Something grabbed her leg and yanked her to the ground. She landed hard and all the air left her body. Her eyes widened. The person who stood by O.R.B.S survived the gunshot to the head. "What?!" she yelled._  
  
 _The woman smirked crazily at the doctor and kicked her in the side. She screamed in pain and reeled violently, clutching her side._  
  
 _The woman put a finger to her lips and hushed Gabriella._   
  
Gabriella screamed, jolting awake. The blazing eyes of the dead women glared at her in the dark. Tears streamed down her face and stained the sheets as she sniveled into them. Teagan rushed into the room and was immediately at her friend's side, putting an arm around the crying woman and rubbing her arm. "Gabriella, you're alright. You're safe," she cooed.  
  
"Her eyes," she murmured, causing the other woman to look confused. "The woman. From the lab. She didn't die, Teagan. She didn't die." Gabriella glanced up at Teagan with glistening, wet and sore eyes. She sniffed and wiped her nose on her the sheets.   
  
"You mean... you shot her;that woman in the lab?" Teagan asked and she nodded.

"Holy shi- A-anyway, she's dead. We found her body, she is dead. She's not coming back. She's dead." Gabriella sniffed and clung onto Teagan like she was a life line, continuing to snivel as the other woman held her.   
  
Teagan noticed Coulson standing at the door. He wore an extremely concerned expression for Gabriella. Something was off with her, he was worried for her.

* * *

 

"So it is possible that O.R.B.S absorbed itself into the doctor," Natasha said, looking at the doctor's data. "She says it's a strange object capable of anything. It even says "I have found what looks like some sort of separating mechanism within O.R.B.S. I speculate that if any of the parts are separated from the heart of O.R.B.S and it may be able to come together to form a new more complex structure" and that complex structure is whatever's inside her."  
  
Clint nodded. "Man, this thing is more alien than we first thought."

Natasha agreed with a nod. "Let's head back to Fury and tell him what we've found."

* * *

 

"And make sure you get the results to me as soon as possible. I need to know what's wrong with her," Fury told the doctor looking after Gabriella.  
  
The doctor nodded, "I'll get them back to you as soon as I have them, Director Fury."

* * *

 

Coulson knocked on the door in three soft taps and slowly pushed it open, poking his head through the door. She watched him blink stunned at her before speaking, "They want to run a few more tests on you. I told them I'd check with you first."  
  
"What kinds of tests?" Gabriella asked, wiping her eyes and nose with the bed sheet.  
  
Phil stepped in. "Bloods, CT-scan, MRI, basically any scan they can think of to help get to the bottom of your... outburst."  
  
She wanted to know what was wrong with her too. The scientist within wanted to know everything but the scared girl wanted it out ad far away from her as possible. But she had to know. "Okay," she said, nodding. "Okay, they can do it. Maybe I can sleep while they do it," she added with a half-hearted laugh.  
  
Coulson nodded and gestured for the doctors outside to come in to start running their tests. As a nurse passed he whispered, "Take care of her." To which the nurse nodded and continued to do her work.


	8. I'm Tired but I'm Ready

All the tests done on Gabriella finished just after three in the afternoon; she dosed off once or twice but only for a few seconds each time, meaning by the time they finished she was exhausted. They insisted that she should try on her prosthetic and go to physiotherapy but she firmly declined and spent the next few hours trying to get to sleep to little avail. Teagan and Phil had disappeared to the canteen when they thought she was asleep. Lying on her back, her eyes flickered to the cybernetic leg that was still on the armchair beside the bed. She swore that it was telling her to try it on, nagging her subconsciously, but she didn't have the motivation to do it, she just stared at it. She'd have to face the music sooner or later, one couldn't wonder around on one leg, especially in her line of work. Orion looked up at his owner with a titled head; his ears pricked forward and looked at her with concerned eyes.

"Orion, I'm fine," she told him. He jumped off the bed and pawed at the armchair. Ackerly sighed, "Orion, no. I don't want to." Orion moved back to the bed and put his chin on the edge, whining softly with sad eyes. "Orion, don't." Ackerly could never resist those huge sad eyes. "Orion," she said sternly. Orion moved his head up the bed towards her shoulder. "Ori-" she sighed defeated. "Alright, fine," she nodded her head at the leg, "go get it."

Orion's tail and bum wagged wildly and he bound over to get the leg. Gabriella wheeled the drip stand closer to her and she watched Orion with her new leg in his mouth. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the bed sheets off her body- to the end of the bed- and swiveled so that her right leg dangled over the edge. Orion plopped the leg onto her lap. She picked it up and studied it. It looked much like her right leg despite the outer covering was shiny jet black in colour. Gabriella hummed in approval, "Lookin' good, Stark, not bad." Inside the socket was a soft, grey coloured foam and dangling from the socket was a strap to hold the stump in place. A sock already sat in the socket. _Here I go._ Removing the sock from her stump and putting it neatly beside her, she put on the clean one and pulled on the prosthetic. She tightened the strap around the top of her thigh and moved her leg. "Okay, it's not bad. Fits like a glove." Her hands shook and her heart raced, "What am I doing? I shouldn't be doing this. I shouldn't do it alone. I shouldn't do this... But I've gotta. I have to do it, I've got this far." Gabriella swallowed hard and shuffled closer to the edge of the bed; Orion watched her closely. Planting her hands either side of her hips on the bed and her bare right foot on the cold floor, she _careful_ _ly_ put the ball of her prosthetic foot on the floor and her heart raced with excitement.  _Oooh, it's going good!_ Then she put the heel onto the floor,  _aww yeah_ , and she could feel the foot adjust to the floor.  _Here we go! Time to stand._ With another deep breath, she pushed off the bed, wobbling slightly but she steadied herself. Distributing her weight on both legs, she wobbled again this time a bit worse than before. Then she took a step.

Gabriella hit the floor; the drip stand landing with a crash. Tears flowed and her body shook. Orion nudged her shoulder. "Leave me alone!" she yelled, swatting at the dog. "G-go away! Just-just leave me alone!" she sobbed. "Get away from me!" Orion whined sadly but laid down next to her with his nose inches from hers nose. Gabriella sniveled and wrapped her arms around the dog. "I-I shouldn't have done it. I s-shouldn't have. I'm an idiot." She just lay there.

An undetermined amount of time later and she heard the door open. "Gabriella!" it was Phil. "What happened?!" _That's it. He hates me._ He rushed to her side and helped her back into bed. "I thought you were asleep. Weren't you going to do this tomorrow?"

"I'm sorry... I just- I just couldn't wait. I'm sorry..."

Coulson sighed and rubbed her shoulder, "Oh, don't be sorry. You could've at least told me what you were going to do. I would've helped."

"I know. I didn't want to bother you."

"After all these years, I'd like to like to think that the only thing that bothers you is me calling you up in the middle of the night to come in," he said with a smile and a laugh.

She nodded, "Yeah, that does bother me. A lot."

"Good," he rubbed her shoulder again and pulled back, perching on the edge of the bed by her feet. "Now, if you do that again don't just have Orion helping you out," Orion's ears pricked up at his name, "get me or Teagan to help you."

"I will."

"Do you plan on doing it again?" he asked curiously. "If so I'm sure that I can get your therapist."

She really wanted to but what if she fell? What if she hurt herself? Gabriella gave him a half-hearted smile, "Yeah, that'll be great."

Phil grinned and stood up, "Stay here and I'll go fetch her." As he left, he passed Teagan at the door, holding a cup of something. The pair exchanged glances before the older one of the two headed out the door.

A smile split the younger woman's face and she put the cup of something on the bedside table, "That's for me. How are you doing?" her eyes momentarily landed on her prosthetic leg attached to her left thigh before returning to her face and sitting down by her legs. "I bet you're enjoying a few days stuck in bed."

"I am but I haven't slept properly since I woke up," she told her best friend, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Believe me I've tried but I'm so stressed my insomnia has kicked into over drive."

Teagan raised an eyebrow, "Aren't you taking your tables?"

"I haven't touched them them for weeks; I kept getting migraines. But I might try cognitive behavioural treatments again, see if they work this time round."

"Third time lucky," Teagan said with a breathy laugh. "But you never know."

Gabriella nodded slowly, "Yeah. You never know." Her friend sipped at her drink, _definitely coffee, mocha maybe?_ and shifted where she sat to get more comfortable; Orion's head was on her lap, so she couldn't move too much. "Where are Clint, Nick and Nat? I haven't heard them for ages."

"They're tryin' to figure out what happened to you."

"What do you have so far?"

"Well, according to Clint, it's true what he said, that O.R.B.S did merge with you. How? I don't think we'll ever know. Nick's behind all the tests on you and he's probably sitting with your doctor right now talking about your head, DNA sequences and structures, and whatever other science-y stuff they can think of. I haven't seen him for a while; I guess they're a lot to go through."

Gabriella nodded her agreement. "They did any and every scan under the sun on me. I feel like Chekov in The Deadly Years. Blood sample, doctor Ackerly! Marrow sample, doctor Ackerly! Skin sample, doctor Ackerly! I'm going to run out of samples!" Teagan laughed and shook her head with a smile.

"Knock knock," said Phil.

"Who's there?" said Teagan, turning her head to look at the door.

"Phil and Doctor Erin Hook," he replied, them both walking into the room.

With the help of Phil, Teagan and Erin, she got into a wheelchair and they headed towards the physio room. "Dr. Hook?" Gabriella asked as they ambled down the corridor.

"Yes?" The middle aged women responded.

"I shouldn't have taken a step, should I?"

"The muscle in your stump is weaker than your other leg due to muscle atrophy, so it wouldn't have really mattered, you would've fallen sooner or later. But we're going to build up the muscle by swimming, massaging; we'll also do exercises before walking such as shifting weight side to side and balancing."

"Okay, but when it comes to swimming can I swim without my prosthesis first?"

"Whatever you want to do we'll do it," Erin replied. Gabriella breathed a sigh of relief. "We'll go at your speed."

The physio room was white room littered with blue exercise mats, five treadmills in a line on the right side of the room; a few exercise balls rested beside a shelf, and other varieties of exercise equipment sat around the room. Orion found a small exercise ball and chased after it. "Would you like us to stay?" Phil asked, leaning against the door frame.

"I'll have Teagan."

"And have me you shall."

Phil pouted mock offended, "I'll just be over here... if you need me."

"Go talk to Nick, old man," Teagan said and it made her giggle quietly. "You couldn't keep up anyway." Phil gasped and laughed before patting Gabriella on the shoulder and leaving to do whatever.

Erin lead the two women over to a plinth couch. "I don't need to tell you that you rushed into it, so we're going to start off with straightening your hips to minimise any risk of your hip tightening, which will make it harder to walk with a prosthesis- you shouldn't be wearing it anyway. Then we'll move onto gaining your confidence on the equipment, _then_ maybe you can use your prosthesis." Erin turned to the other doctor in the room, "Are you ready?"

"Ready."


	9. I'm In

Over the next couple of months, Gabriella and Doctor Hook worked together to build up the muscle in her stump so she could get used to her new leg. Fury, Natasha, Clint and the others worked hard to figure out why O.R.B.S fused with her. All the results were inconclusive so they would never really understand why or how it happened. In all the scans that Nick had ordered didn't bring up much either, her brain showed no unusual activity that looked remotely like O.R.B.S’s power signature but they would need her to use her power to really understand any significant changes to any part of her body. Alas every time they asked she point blank refused to do so, she didn't know how she did it the first time and she wasn't planning on participating in experiments anytime soon.  
  
It was a big change and even harder to get used the fact that she had one leg, but she was coming along at a steady pace. Walking with her prosthesis without an aid wasn't as hard as it was and running short distances didn't end with her on the floor. The flashbacks reduced considerably, she only has one every so often.  
  
Training with Natasha, under the supervison of Erin Hook, gradually got easier and easier with her new leg; Stark had made the leg light and durable for any occasion and she discovered that it had it had DNA imprinting so that it could be used in two different setting. The standard setting acted like any normal leg prosthesis it's fit for walking, running and the like, just everyday stuff. The additional setting was much like the standing setting but increased the strength, comfort, stamina, durability of the prosthesis during missions and training; it also decreased energy consumption so it was more affective in stressful situations. Resulting from the explosion she was upgraded in more ways than one, her senses were enhanced along with her strength, endurance, reflexes, agility and durability. She discovered those during a training session with Natasha and Clint. Yet she refused to emit energy.  
  
Throughout the months she hadn't discharged energy at her surroundings or lost her temper, much. It took a lot of convincing from Phil, Teagan and Clint but she eventually agreed to be tested on while she expelled energy from her hands like she did back at the hospital. She walked with Clint down a corridor of the S.H.I.E.L.D. science and medical facility The Aceso in Switzerland. They headed towards the test area. "So where's Natasha and Teagan?" Gabriella asked, taking off her jacket for the experiment, "I haven't seen them for a while."  
  
"They’re undercover," Clint replied.  
  
"Oh," she took off her shirt, and continued walking in a navy tank top and black trousers for the occasion. "Where?"  
  
"Hell, if I know."  
  
"Ha, they're doing something."

The pair reached the lab where Nick, Phil and Maria where waiting. Adjacent to the lab was a long firing range with a wide, two-way glass window so those in the lab could see what was going on in the test area. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Phil asked, just checking if she was really serious about it.  
  
Gabriella smiled and put a hand on his shoulder, "Yes. I'm sure." then she turned to Nick, "Let's get this over and done with before I change my mind."  
  
Maria placed electrodes on the doctor's forehead, chest -specifically over her heart- upper and lower arms. The Deputy Director of S.H.I.E.L.D hooked them up to a small Bluetooth device that would then send the information they collect to the screen in front of Nick and Phil. It would show them how her heart coped, how her brain reacted and if her DNA was altered in any way.  
  
Gabriella showed herself into the testing range and clenched and unclenched her hands, attempting to reach into herself to throw balls of energy at the targets. She hasn't done it since she got angry at Nick and tried hard ever since to not do it. Now she had to do it (she didn't want to do it) because she wanted to know the results too. It would take time but there was no time like the present. Taking a deep breath, she flung her hand at a target but nothing happened. I feel like a right idiot standing here with nothing happening. No, come on, don't think like that, I've gotta be in a good mood for this. She did it twice again and still nothing happened. "C'mon," she muttered to herself. "You can do this."  
  
Gabriella cast her hand at the target again. Nothing. The doctor grumbled to herself but calmed herself down. It didn't help what she could practically feel the disappointment coming from the observation room. Taking another deep breath, she aimed her hand and fired! Her heart raced in exhilaration. It worked, it actually worked! She did it. Laughing merrily, she fired another ball of energy at the target's head, disintegrating completely. "Ooooh!" she hoped a little in excitement and cracked the biggest smile she ever smiled. "Yay!" she fired again, again, and again; all hitting the targets and disintegrating them.  
  
The door banged open behind her and someone grabbed her by the arms. She was falling. Phil spoke but she couldn't hear him, he sounded muffled. Her vision blurred, shapes molding into one.  
  
_The new ball of energy slithered towards the half dead Gabriella and merged itself around her legs. It crawled around her lower half before wriggling up the rest of her body and engulfing her in blue light. The light faded and joined with her._  
  
"Gabriella! Gabriella!" Phil shouted. The indistinct voices became clearer. He shook her lightly, "Gabriella!"  
  
Clint kneeled next to her with a concerned expression on his face. "Doc?"  
  
She blinked blankly at the men, her sight returning. "W-what happened?" Her head was swimming.  
  
"You fainted!" Clint exclaimed and she flinched at the loudness. "Coulson caught the signs; I've never seen him run so fast."  
  
She chuckled gruffly, "I wish I could've been that."  
  
"I am here, y'know," Phil said miffed. "Anyway, do you feel alright?"  
  
Her swimming head slowly stopped pounding and room no longer spun like a spinning top. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." The two of them helped her to sit up on the floor. She felt herself smile, "I did it though! Did you see that? I did it!" her smile grew. "I've never felt anything like it! I want to do it again."  
  
Coulson and Clint exchanged worried glances. "Are you sure?" the former asked.  
  
Gabriella nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, I'm sure. I can handle it."  
  
The two men helped her to her feet before returning to the lab. The doctor wiped her brow and took long, deep breaths. Aiming her hand at the target, she fired.  
  
Balls of blue energy striking the target and blast off its head. Pausing before she fire again, she eyed the targets, she had two hand, I wonder... She aimed both hands at two targets and fired. Both targets disintegrated. She beamed. Power flowed through her veins. It was something she's never felt before, it was exciting. There was a spring in her step as she fired again. She even did trick shots but she needed to work on her aim.  
  
"Okay, doctor. We've got enough data, you can stop know," Fury said over the intercom. Gabriella nodded but she couldn't resist doing one last cheeky blast before heading into the lab.  
  
Once in the lab, she took off the electrodes and the Bluetooth device, placing them on the table, and walked over to the screen. "It seems that when you fire the energy small beads on your DNA spark," Phil said, pointing to a string of her DNA.  
  
"They must be residue from O.R.B.S. Probably gives me my powers," she rubbed her chin. "What about everything else?"  
  
"Your heart is fine. I don't think blasting energy takes any toll on it," Clint uttered. "Nothing really happens to your other organs."  
  
"The electrical impulses all over your brain increase when you power up but it's nothing serious," Maria added, "There's nothing overly strange going on."  
  
Breathing a sigh she didn't know she was holding, she grabbed her white dress shirt, "That's good to know. Is there anything else?"  
  
The three of them, save for Nick, shook her heads. Nick stood from his seat, "Doctor, once you've finished here I'd like to talk to you."  
  
"I'm done now, let's talk."  
  
Fury gestured for her to follow him. They left the lab and headed in the direction towards a private office in silence. What could he want, she wondered. It could be anything. Once at the office, he sat behind the desk and she sat in front of it. He sat straight, put his hands together on the table and wore a neutral expression. "I'd like to talk to you about the Avengers Initiative."  
  
Her face was one of shock and confusion. "Wait," she held up a finger, "What?!"  
  
"I want you to join the Initiative," he told her, "To defend Earth-"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know what the Initiative is, but why me?"  
  
"In all honesty, Gabriella, I was considering you for the Initiative before the accident. Your powers are a bonus."  
  
"Ok, I'm in."  
  
Now it was Fury's time for an expression of confusion. "Excuse me?"  
  
"You don't have to give me the talk, I know it," Gabriella told him, "I want to help defend Earth from threats you can't handle, besides it might give me a chance to use what I can do for something other than experiments."  
  
Nick laughed a little at that but he quickly composed himself, "Are you sure?" he asked, "are you in?"  
  
"I'm in."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of Gabriella Ackerly: Origins but don't worry, there's more of her to come. Keep your eyes peeled!
> 
> EDIT: Adjusted dialog in this chapter because of when Iron Man 2 takes place. I thought it was early 2011 but according to the timeline on the wikia, it's 2010.


End file.
